Report of the Knaresbrough Rail-way Committee Part 3

With regard to the annual repairs of a Rail-way our engineer, Mr. Telford hath not supplied the information; but from other sources we have ascertained the repairs are in proportion to the quant.i.ty of business done; upon Rail-ways well constructed, and made strong in the first instance, about l-8th of the annual proceeds is highly sufficient, but if the castings are light and laid upon timber instead of stone, at least twice that sum will be required.

Having as a Committee, accomplished in the best way we are able, what was originally intrusted to our care, (except deviating from a Ca.n.a.l to a Rail-way;) we now beg leave to lay the subject before the public, not doubting but that public will duly appreciate its utility, and also recommend to the n.o.blemen and Gentlemen who have estates on the line, to give it such a consideration as a work of this magnitude deserves, either as regards its importance, by the employment it will afford to the partially employed labouring poor, during the time the work is in progress, but more particularly during all the time hereafter; so long as one ton of lead, or stone may be found near the higher end of the line; or the river Nidd flow in its present course; or the neighbourhood of Selby or Howden continue to produce more corn than is sufficient for its population; or as may regard its importance in an agricultural view, a sight of which should never be lost, nor whatever can promote its advancement, be treated with disdain or neglect, but quite the contrary; for upon the best, the cheapest, and most skilful method of causing the earth to bring forth abundantly, depends in a great measure our national prosperity; it gives a plentiful supply at home, will tend to reduce our alarming pauperism, and hence promote peace, the welcome inhabitant of every breast; of every cottage; of every mansion; of every state; and the safest rampart of every throne; for while we consider the soil only as an agent, let us not forget it is one of an incorruptible cla.s.s; and whatever is skilfully committed to its care is generally repaid tenfold; then it should not be forgotten what was the state of the high-roads in this country eighty years ago, they were chiefly composed of clay; and now contrast that period, with the present, and say how much their improvement hath, or hath not, contributed to the advancement of that ancient, useful, respectable, and princely profession, of agriculture; if this is not denied, then contrast the present highways of the district through which the adopted line will pa.s.s, remembering the many steep and rugged hills, with the present much improved Rail-ways where the uniformity of ascent and descent is maintained as a princ.i.p.al object, and permit it to come within your calculating powers to show, what benefit it may contribute to the perfection of a science on which so much wealth and public benefit depend.

Or as may regard its importance by the constant employment it will afford to nearly all ages and cla.s.ses of people, who may be concerned directly or indirectly in the manufacture of Yarns, Linens, and Cottons, and probably at better wages than are regularly paid at other manufacturing places, for should a considerable saving of carriage be effected, together with the quick dispatch and transport of goods from place to place, as we have contemplated; the profits of the masters would be improved, their business extended, compet.i.tion created, and hence wages would be advanced; industry would thereby be promoted, and could morality and economy be taught by example, then pauperism would only be known by its name.

If there be any doubt, that the completion of this project will not open new channels for such tillage as the various soils which are contiguous to the line require, we are unacquainted with it; because instead of that, we believe it will not only facilitate the transport of the various limes as may be requisite to suit the different soils, but also afford an opportunity of introducing great quant.i.ties of manure from the towns of Leeds and Hull, into places which the present modes in use never will accommodate.

To enumerate all the advantages which a well constructed Rail-way possesses over every other mode of conveyance, on lines where the ascent is great, as in this, would be a work of time, and therefore we shall dismiss it after quoting a pa.s.sage from Dupini's Report to the French Government:

"The advantages which Iron Rail-ways present are immense.--England owes to them a part of her wealth. Never without them could coal, lime, minerals, and other raw materials have been conveyed to such distances, and at the same time, at so trifling an expense."

To the n.o.blemen and Gentlemen who have money vested in the security of the tolls, arising from the highways contiguous to the line, we beg to offer some observations, particularly to those who may feel alarm for their interests:--It is the opinion of others, better informed on these subjects than ourselves, that instead of reducing the annual amount of tolls, they have invariably been found to increase, particularly on such roads as cut the line in a transverse direction; but on roads parallel to the line, the increase has not been so great; and when it is remembered the great quant.i.ty of tonnage, a project of this kind must require to make it profitable, it must be admitted that a disposal of it in all directions will necessarily be the case; thus it is accounted for why the tolls have increased.

To such n.o.blemen and Gentlemen who may at some future period (we hope not far distant) form themselves into a Committee to ascertain the merits of this report, we beg to express a request, which we trust will be treated with attention, that they will permit all the money advanced towards the expenses of the survey already made, to become share money, (if the work should go forward) and the subscribers who may not be disposed to purchase shares, to have the option of receiving back the sum or sums so advanced by them.

JOHN ETESON.

MATTHEW OATES.

WM. THACKWRAY.

FRANCIS COOPER.

WM. DRIFFIELD.

JOHN ELLISON.

THOMAS SIMPSON.

LAMBERT ELLISON.

ROBT. DEARLOVE.

ISAAC NEWTON.

MICHAEL MEEK.

An account of the sixty-seven mills named in the preface of this Report, showing how each mill is at this time employed:--

Corn. Flax. Cotton. Lead.

Shaw Mills 2 2 0 0 Thornton 0 1 0 0 Wreaks 1 0 1 0 Waite 1 0 0 0 Fewstone 1 0 0 0 West House 1 1 0 0 West End 0 3 0 0 Bramley Head 0 2 0 0 Darley 1 1 0 0 Thornthwaite 1 1 0 0 Summer-bridge 1 1 0 0 Fellbeck 1 0 0 0 Braisty Wood 0 1 0 0 Low Laith 0 1 0 0 Smelt House 0 3 0 0 Gla.s.s House 1 1 0 0 Holling House 0 1 0 0 Pateley-Bridge 1 1 0 0 Bridge-house 1 0 0 0 Gate c.o.c.khill 0 0 0 1 Sun Side 0 0 0 1 Scarah 1 0 0 0 Providence 0 0 0 1 Prosperous 0 0 0 1 Merry Field 0 0 0 1 Low Mill 0 0 0 1 Gra.s.s Field 0 1 0 1 New Bridge 0 0 0 0 Gouthwaite Hall 1 0 0 0 Ramsgill 1 0 0 0 Killinghall l 0 0 0 Scotton 0 l 0 0 Knaresbro' 0 1 0 0 Do. Chapman 1 0 0 0 Do. Do. 1 0 0 0 Calverley's Plumpton 1 0 0 0 Goldsbro' 1 0 0 0 Staveley 1 1 0 0 Hunsingore 1 0 0 0 Knox 1 0 0 0 Crimple 0 1 0 0 Spofforth 1 0 0 0 Wetherby 3 0 0 0 Thorp-Arch 2 1 0 0 Tadcaster 1 0 0 0 Clifford 1 1 0 0 32 27 1 7

Besides the before-named mills, flax is sent from Knaresbro' to be spun at

Scotland Mill, near Leeds.

Mickley Mill, near Ripon.

Bishopton Mill, near Ripon.

Ripon Mill, and Masham Mill.

N.B. Soon as additional Subscriptions are received, by the Committee, to cover the expenses of the Survey, a list of the same will be printed, and distributed to each Subscriber, setting forth, also, the expenses of the Survey, with every particular.

Edward Baines, Printer, Leeds.

Footnotes:

{vi} The Committee alludes to the immense quant.i.ties of excellent stone for highways near Pateley-Bridge, and the great want of it in the neighbourhoods of Howden and Selby; and the surplus produce of the earth in these districts, and the increasing demand for it at Skipton and Pateley, and the Eastern parts of Lancas.h.i.+re.

{12} No surviving copies of this map are known.--DP.